Apparatus for managing online game, method and system therefor

Abstract

An apparatus for managing an online game. The apparatus including a processor and a memory. The processor is configured to identify a set of client devices engaged in an online game; identify game parameters associated with client devices in the set; define group of client devices from the set of client devices, wherein the at least one group of client devices includes client devices with similar game parameter; determine communication latency between each of the client devices in the group of client devices and a server; define subgroup of client devices from each of the group of client devices, wherein the subgroup of client devices includes client devices with a similar communication latency; and enable the client devices in the subgroup of client devices to engage in a game session of the online game.

1 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . An apparatus for managing a multiplayer online game, the apparatus comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the processor is configured to: identify a set of client devices engaged in the multiplayer online game; determine a communication latency between each client device of the set and a server; define a subgroup of the client devices having substantially identical communication latencies within a tolerance range; and insert a delay module in at least one client device of the subgroup to artificially increase communication latency such that the client devices of the subgroup exhibit substantially identical communication latencies. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein the delay module is configured to apply a fixed additional delay to a communication signal transmitted between the client device and the server. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein the delay module is dynamically adjustable by the processor to maintain the substantially identical communication latencies in response to real-time variations. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein the processor is further configured to share a pair of ciphered keys between each of the client devices and the server, the ciphered keys enabling secure latency measurement. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein the ciphered keys comprise an asymmetric key pair including a public key stored at the server and a private key stored at the client device. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein the processor is configured to establish a user datagram protocol (UDP) connection between each of the client devices and the server for measuring the communication latency. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein the processor is further configured to reallocate a client device to a different subgroup upon detecting that a change in communication latency of the client device exceeds a threshold. 
     
     
         31 . A method for managing a multiplayer online game, the method comprising: identifying a set of client devices engaged in the multiplayer online game; measuring communication latencies between each client device and a server using a secure exchange of ciphered keys; grouping a first client device and a second client device into a subgroup when the measured latencies differ by less than a pre-determined threshold; and enabling only the subgroup to participate in a same game session of the multiplayer online game. 
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 31 , further comprising reallocating a client device from the subgroup to another subgroup upon detecting a change in communication latency exceeding the pre-determined threshold. 
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 31 , further comprising increasing a latency of one or more client devices in the subgroup by applying a delay module, thereby maintaining substantially identical communication latency among the subgroup. 
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 31 , further comprising establishing a UDP connection between each client device and the server for determining the communication latency. 
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 31 , wherein the secure exchange of ciphered keys comprises generating an asymmetric key pair at a client device, transmitting a public key to the server, and using a private key at the client device to sign latency measurement data. 
     
     
         36 . A system for managing a multiplayer online game, the system comprising: a server configured to host the multiplayer online game; and an apparatus communicatively coupled to the server and to a set of client devices, the apparatus being configured to: determine communication latencies of the set of client devices; define at least one subgroup of the client devices having a similar communication latency; and enable the subgroup to engage in a same game session of the multiplayer online game, wherein at least one of the client devices of the subgroup employs a delay module to artificially increase latency for alignment with other client devices in the subgroup. 
     
     
         37 . The system according to  claim 36 , wherein the apparatus is configured to dynamically adjust the delay module to maintain latency alignment across the subgroup. 
     
     
         38 . The system according to  claim 36 , wherein the apparatus is configured to maintain a structured list of the client devices, including identifiers, associated game parameters, measured communication latencies, and subgroup assignments.